Battambang and bats

Our day out in Battambang, photos of day.We hired a tuk tuk and driver for the whole day, they are very good at getting us to do that here! Cambodia appears to be run by transport cartels and kickbacks & you just have to go with the flow. We are grabbed at a bus station, whizzed away to see the hotel of their choice and then that ride is free if you take them for the whole next day! But usually it is a win win, costs about $15 for the day. Our driver was Nat and he had a grin on his face all day, according to his friends he hadn't had work for a week... They usually sleep the night in their tuk tuk outside the hotel. First off, leisurely breakfast of fruit salad, yogurt, baguette, omlettes and coffee at a lovely cafe, then away in our tuk tuk to the bamboo train, this is how the locals got by when the roads fell apart and trains weren't working during the Khmer rouge days. When other bamboo trains come the other way both stop, one gets lifted off to let the other one past. It stopped at a village and we were shown around a brick making factory by some delightful local children, talked into buying a cold drink and another scarf & relieved of a few more $$! That took a couple of hours.Then onto some old ruins, kids walking beside us with fans as we climbed the steps, wanting a few more $, saw some big fruit bats, stopped to buy some 'pink' fruit, nice, a bit like a melon. Then to a little eating place for late lunch about 30 km away, another mate of the driver. We walked up to a temple, the highest hill around. It is also another killing field with lots more skulls and bones in the memorial inside the cave. Had an interesting chat with a monk, very friendly and well educated, also after a donation for his school... After we walked down we waited near a bat cave. Around sunset every night millions of little bats come out to feed. An amazing sight, just swarming out for over 2 hours, black streams in the sky. I asked our driver where they went and he replied, laughing heartily, they go to the night club!! Half hour drive back to the Royal hotel, $15 for deluxe suite, cable tv, aircon, WiFi etc and most importantly a comfy bed. Clean folded laundry returned. Time for a beer and spring rolls at the roof top restaurant watching the monsoon rain pelt down. A good day out. Boat to Siem Reap next.